Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or Anne of Green Gables or any characters or materials taken from the musicals, movies, books, etc. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's Note: This is my first crossover ever.

Chapter 1: The Mixup.

Elphaba sat perfectly still on the train. She didn't take her eyes off the scenery that rolled by as the train sped over the countryside. Until her thoughts were interrupted by Mrs. Spencer's voice.

"Miss Elphaba, will you not take some lunch?" Mrs. Spencer asked.

"Hmm? Oh! Thank you. I suppose I was just lost in thought for a moment," Elphaba stammered, but gratefully accepted the offered sandwich. She'd never admit it, but she was truly famished.

Mrs. Spencer smiled. "No worry, dear. It happens to me all the time."

Elphaba quirked a small smile at that. She hadn't known this woman for five hours, yet she knew she was a bit scatterbrained. Still, she was a kindly person and Elphaba wasn't about to make an enemy of someone who'd feed her.

She went back to watching the scenery as soon as she was finished, her stomach happily digesting her meal. Elphaba rested her chin on her hand and let her mind wander. She wondered if the people who had sent for her would be repulsed by her or if they'd accept her. She never had much in life and no one ever seemed to really care about her. She shook out the gloomy turn her thoughts were taking and just thought of anything pleasant she could call to mind.


Soon, the train stopped and Mrs. Spencer took Elphaba and Lillyana off. Mrs. Spencer told the station master that Elphaba was the girl Mr. Matthew Cuthbert and his sister Marilla were adopting and that Matthew would be arriving for her. The man said he'd keep an eye on her and Mrs. Spencer left with Lillyana for her own home.

"Miss, if you'd care to wait in the ladies lounge…" the station master started.

"Thank you, but if it's all the same to you, I think I'd rather wait outside. It's… more open out there," Elphaba said.

"Alright. Just… don't wander off." The man scratched his head, figuring the girl had claustrophobia or something.

"I won't," Elphaba assured him.

She breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she stepped outside. Elphaba was not claustrophobic in the least, but she liked being outdoors as much as possible. She liked having the wind in her face and breathing the fresh air. She much preferred life in the country to life in the city. She preferred the calm, quiet, and fewer people to the noise, hustle, bustle, and crowds of the city. Out here, one had room to breathe, where as in the city, one's neighbors were practically on top of one.

Elphaba found a pile of shingles on one end of the platform and sat down, setting her old battered suitcase down next to her. She sat there for a long time. She guessed it had to have been a good two hours or more since she'd sat down and she was beginning to be hungry again, but she didn't worry about that too much. She did however decide that if Matthew Cuthbert didn't arrive that night, she would bed in the wild cherry tree across the way. It's branches were good and strong and it seemed a secure enough place. Plus, it was laden with blossom and she imagined it would be quite lovely to sleep there.

But then she saw a man come up the lane in a horse and buggy. She watched him intently to see what he'd do. The man went into the station house and was in there a short while before he came back out. He looked around before he saw her and he just stood there for a moment. Then he cautiously made his way towards her, but Elphaba picked up her suitcase and walked over to him.

"Are you Matthew Cuthbert?" she asked hopefully.

The man scratched his head and replied slowly. "I guess I am."

"Good. I was beginning to think you might not come for me after all." Elphaba looked relieved.

"Well, I, um…" Matthew was at a loss for words. He wasn't known for his eloquence of speech. If anything, Matthew Cuthbert was known to be the shyest man alive.

"I had decided that if you didn't come for me tonight, I'd spend the night in the wild cherry tree across the way. It seems like the best place to spend the night. It's up off the ground, away from anything particularly nasty. I was sure if you didn't arrive tonight, you would be here in the morning." Elphaba looked Matthew in the eyes with such hope and longing that the man didn't have the heart to tell her it was all a mistake, that they had sent for a boy and that she'd be sent back to the orphan asylum.

"Well, I suppose we should get going. It's a little ways to Avonlea," he said reaching for her bag.

"Oh! If you don't mind, I'd prefer to carry my own bag. You see, it's quite old and if you don't hold it a certain way, the handle pulls out. I've mastered the knack of it, since I've had it for so long," Elphaba said.

"Are you sure?" Matthew asked.

Elphaba nodded. "Quite sure. It's not heavy. I've got all my possessions in it, but I don't have or need much."

Matthew shrugged and got in the buggy. Elphaba deftly climbed in after him and settled down at once. As they drove through the countryside, Elphaba gazed around her with wide eyes. Everything seemed so much more alive than in the city. It was very pretty and she wanted to take it all in. Matthew watched her wondering face and felt his heart melt. He was normally very much afraid of women, especially girls, for he always felt they were laughing at him. Marilla and her friend Mrs. Rachel Lynde were really the only women he wasn't afraid of and now, he found himself drawn to this lonely young orphan girl with the intense chocolate-brown eyes.

Elphaba just drank in her surroundings. She loved this place and wanted to call it home so much. Heck! She wanted to call anyplace home, but this place was beautiful and alive and fragrant with the scents of early summer, which all seemed to call to her in a way. Her eyes got a faraway look in them as she imagined a life for herself here, with people who wanted her, who cared about her… who loved her. In truth, what Elphaba wanted more than anything in the world, was to be wanted and loved.

They soon arrived at Green Gables, the place Elphaba was to call home from now on. They walked up the steps to the house and the door opened to reveal a tall thin woman with greying hair, grey eyes, and sharp angular features.

She took one look at Elphaba, then turned to Matthew. "What is that? Where's the boy?"

Matthew looked uncomfortable. "Um, there was no boy. There was only… her."

"What do you mean? There must have been a boy. We told Mrs. Spencer to pick out a boy."

"Please, Marilla. I couldn't very well leave her there all alone," Matthew countered, his eyes pleading.

Marilla sighed. "No, you couldn't. We'll keep her here tonight and send her back in the morning, but first I want to know how this mixup occurred. You, what's your name?"

"Elphaba Thropp. So you don't want me? I should have known. No one ever wants me." Elphaba couldn't suppress the tears that forced their way down her cheeks.

"There, now. There's no need to cry," Marilla said, a bit more sharply than she intended.

"I wish I could hold them in, but I can't. I've always known I would never be adopted. I've always known I'd live in the orphan asylum until I turned eighteen, then I'd be sold as a salve or servant and spend the rest of my days as such. I was never even considered for adoption. Everyone is always repulsed by my appearance, so the best I could ever hope for was to someday be someone's servant. So pardon me if I can't help shedding a few tears of disappointment for foolishly allowing myself to believe that someone actually wanted me." Elphaba's tone became more and more bitter with every word.

Marilla felt a twinge of sorrow for the poor girl, but couldn't allow herself to even consider keeping her. "I'm sorry. Truly, I am, but we sent for a boy to help Matthew with the chores. A girl would be no use to us."

Elphaba's ears perked up at that. "I can help with the chores. I may be a girl, but I'm far stronger than any of the boys that were at the asylum."

Marilla was surprised. "But, it's not proper! Who ever heard of a girl doing men's work!"

"Believe me, I'm no ordinary girl, and it's not just the green skin. I can lift a bale of hay with one hand, even though I'm only eleven. I know how to work in the fields and care for animals. My father had me work in the fields since I was six. He then sent me to the asylum when I was ten."

"Wait. Your father is alive?" Marilla was shocked.

Elphaba hung her head. "Yes, but he hates me. Ever since I was born he's hated my very existence, but it all came to a head when my sister Nessarose was born. You see, I was born green and my father made my mother chew milk flowers while she was carrying Nessa so she wouldn't come out green. Only, they made Nessa come too soon, with her little legs all tangled… and our mother… never woke up. None of which would have happened… if not for me. After that, I was basically a slave in my own home. At first I worked in the house and learned how to do everything from the cleaning to the cooking. Then he decided it best that I be out of the house as much as possible, so he sent me to work in the fields. Then he finally just couldn't stand my presence in his house or on his land any longer and sent me to the orphan asylum in The Emerald City, where I remained until Mrs. Spencer came and said you wanted a girl to adopt. The asylum people were more than happy to get me off their hands. Couldn't stand the green, I guess."

"Well, you're probably tired and hungry by now. We may as well have supper and get to bed. We'll get this whole mess straightened out tomorrow," Marilla said, turning and leading the way to the kitchen.

Elphaba was bitterly disappointed that she wasn't wanted after all, but still ate, knowing full well it would probably be her last good meal for a while. Still, every bite was tainted with the bitter taste of disappointment. Marilla noticed the brooding look in the young girl's eyes. A look of pain, anger, sorrow, and long suffering. Marilla had never seen that look in anyone's eyes before, but somehow, knew it at once. It was the look of a child who's heart had been starved of love.

"No, Marilla. Don't go getting all sentimental. You sent for a boy to help Matthew with the chores. She'll just have to go back," Marilla thought as she finished her meal.

Elphaba finished quickly and started to gather the dishes.

"Do you even know how to wash dishes?" Marilla asked.

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "I did say I had learned after my mother's death."

Marilla was a bit put off by the green girl's harsh tone, but knew it was most likely the bitter disappointment of not being wanted. She watched as Elphaba skillfully washed, dried, and put away the dishes, not dropping, cracking, or breaking a single one. Marilla shook her head. No, the girl was going back, no doubt about that.

"Come. I'll show you to your room for the night." Marilla led her to the east gable room.

Elphaba looked about the room. It was much like the rest of the house; plain, respectable, and harshly clean. Elphaba couldn't help but think Marilla was much like her house, or rather Green Gables was much like Marilla. She quietly set her suitcase on the dresser and pulled out a plain nightgown of the cheapest and most awful fabric.

"Is that all you have?" Marilla asked.

"Yes. A large amount of this cloth was donated to the asylum by a traveling merchant because he couldn't sell it. No wonder either, but it's sturdy enough and there's never enough of anything to go around anyway, so I'm not complaining," Elphaba replied.

"It's too small," Marilla observed.

Elphaba shrugged. "I was the last to be supplied with a nightgown, so I just got whatever was left. I'm always the last, so I seldom get much. Including food." She muttered the last part under her breath, but Marilla still heard.

"No wonder she ate as much as she did. The poor girl's probably half-starved. That would certainly explain why she's so thin. Poor child. She was probably trying to put as much food as possible in her belly, since she knows she won't be well-fed at the asylum. Get a hold of yourself, Marilla! You can't keep her," Marilla scolded herself.

Elphaba looked expectantly at Marilla and the woman finally snapped out of her mental scolding. "I'll let you get changed. I'll be back though. I don't trust you to put out the candle yourself."

Elphaba rolled her eyes as soon as Marilla's back was turned. She quickly changed, folded her clothes neatly on the chair in the room, and called Marilla back in. Marilla came in and saw Elphaba get into bed. She picked up the candle and walked to the door.

Marilla turned back a moment. "Goodnight, Elphaba."

"Goodnight, Ms. Cuthbert."

Marilla sighed when she heard the bitterness in that young voice, but turned and closed the door. Matthew was sitting on the couch in the living room, smoking his pipe. Marilla didn't really approve of smoking, but figured a man's gotta have some way of venting, since they wouldn't learn to knit. So, she tolerated it.

Matthew took his pipe out of his mouth as soon as she sat down. "You know, we really should keep her, Marilla."

Marilla moaned. "Don't start, Matthew. We need a boy, not a girl. She will be sent back tomorrow."

"I can hire a boy and she'd be company for you," Matthew reasoned.

"I'm not suffering for company and besides, I know nothing about raising girls. Boys are simpler. Girls are too sensitive and high strung," Marilla stated.

"She knows how to work in the house. You saw how she was with the dishes. Besides, maybe, we can do her some good," Matthew countered.

"I doubt we could do her any good. We know nothing about raising children, Matthew," Marilla pointed out.

"Something tells me, no one really does. Besides, what she really needs is love. You should have seen the look in her eyes as we drove back from the train station. They were wide with wonder and possibilities and hope. Then when she found out it was all a mistake and we didn't want her, all that hope vanished. I don't know about you, but I felt like I had murdered something small and innocent when the light went out of her eyes. She just wants to belong somewhere, Marilla. She just wants to belong and be loved," Matthew stated with a firm nod of his head.

Marilla felt like Matthew had stabbed her in the heart. Of course she had seen how the light of hope had vanished from Elphaba's eyes when she found out about the mistake. Of course she had felt the same way Matthew did, about murdering something small and innocent. Of course she knew the poor girl just wanted a home and love. But, her ever practical mind wouldn't let her forget that it was a boy they sent for, and she knew nothing about raising girls.


Meanwhile, Elphaba cried bitterly yet silently in her room for the night. She was very hurt and very angry that yet again, she wasn't wanted. At least, this time, it wasn't because of her green skin. She had seen that, while Matthew and Marilla had been startled by her unusual skin tone, they were not repulsed by it. No, they simply wanted a boy to work in the fields and barn.

"Ironic. I thought I would only ever be rejected by my skin color, but now I'm rejected because of my gender. I will never have a home. I will never be loved," Elphaba muttered before closing her eyes and crying herself to sleep.